Leonard Cheshire was a WW2 bomber pilot and philanthropist who served with Bomber Command throughout WW2, and at the age of 25 became the youngest Group Captain in the Service. He carried out 100 bombing missions – a record that was unequalled. For a short while he took command of 617 Squadron, the famous Dam Busters, and was awarded the DSO (Distinguished Service Order) with two bars and the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross). In 1944 he was awarded the VC (Victoria Cross). His final mission in 1945 was to be one of the British observers at the dropping of the atom bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. Awarded the Order of Merit, 1981; created a life peer in 1991 and took the name Baron Cheshire of Woodhall as his title in memory of the RAF camp at Woodhall Spa where he had spent a great deal of his time on service.

Springwood House
The first Leonard Cheshire Home that opened in Liverpool was located at Springwood House (Springwood mansion), Woolton Road, Allerton, in 1967, the first residents being accepted in June. By 1985 the Home had moved a few hundred yards up Woolton Road to its purpose built home, The Orchard, which is situated on land that was once part of the 55-acre Allerton Priory estate.

The Orchard
Unfortunately, their are no records to indicate why the home was named The Orchard. However, a look at the OS Map for 1893 shows out-buildings on the site of the present Home. Also, in an extract from the memoirs of John Grant Morris by Julia Shaw (his granddaughter), there is a description of the grounds at the rear of Allerton Priory where there was: “…a gardener’s house in the gardens; and a wonderful collection of greenhouses where peaches, grapes, nectarines, figs and even pineapples were grown.” It would seem a reasonable assumption that The Orchard has taken its name from the orchard site it was built upon...

____________________

Leonard Cheshire Home
The Orchard